Chocolate things at Chocolateria San Churro

If there's one person I know who is as passionate, actually even more passionate than me, about chocolate, it's my friend, Sundeep. The guy pretty much knows all the desserts Mumbai has to offer. He is the kind that will drive a hour in the traffic just to have a cup of hot chocolate, or call a restaurant to reserve a piece of his favourite dessert! Yup. I need more such crazies in my life. :)

It was on his insistence that we went all the way to the Breach Candy outlet of Chocolateria San Churro, because it is the bigger, better outlet. Sundeep had been raving about San Churro and how I MUST go there to drink the 'real hot chocolate'. How could the Chocosopher not go and check out one of the few authentic chocolaterias in Mumbai? San Churro is a chain of chocolaterias in India, with outlets in Mumbai, Delhi and Surat. The brand believes only in Spanish Couverture (the finest, most authentic chocolate in the Spanish tradition) and their very informative website explains it all very well.

The Breach Candy San Churro cafe is a huge affair on the first floor of building. Elegantly done up, the cafe has paintings on the walls trying to bring alive the Spanish ethos. A pastry showcase displays inviting chocolates and pastries at the order counter and cozy-looking chairs and tables are spread across the floor. After I walked around taking photos like a tourist from a village (much to my friend's embarrassment), I settled down with their menu. So much chocolate!!!

We ordered, on Sundeep's suggestion of course, an Azteca - a chilli-infused hot Spanish chocolate, a plate of churros and a raspberry chocolate shake.

San Churro Azteca - a spicy hot chocolate drink

The large-ish cup of Azteca - a spicy hot chocolate drink arrived in a bit and I think my jaw dropped just looking that that thick, rich concoction. I was finally looking at a cup of the real thing; not those lameass excuses for hot chocolate that most places serve. It smelt as divine as it looked with the delectable aromas of dark chocolate, chilli and cinnamon. The drink tasted diviner with just the right balance of sugar and spice. The hot chocolate was so thick, it could almost be pure molten chocolate. Creamy, smooth and perfectly spiced, this drink is a must try. It is, however, extremely heavy and it takes quite an effort to down a cupful.

RATING: 4/5

Churros with milk chocolate dip

The sinful churros came next. Churros are basically deep fried batter things, sprinkled with frosted sugar and served with a milk chocolate dip. Since deep fried and chocolate CANNOT go wrong, the churros are amazing. Crisp churros dipped in creamy chocolate will melt even the hardest of hearts and add to the girth of the slimmest of waists. But you have to have it at least once to know what this is all about. Mmm...

RATING: 4/5

Raspberry chocolate shake

The Raspberry Chocolate Shake was the third thing on our list - a cold shake just to clog up our arteries some more. But hey, one doesn't go to San Churro everyday. I was expecting a pink-coloured drink when we ordered it, as most places are wont to as soon as the word berry comes into the equation. But this lovely thick chocolaty shake made its way on our table. I was rather eager to try this one because few places, if any, combine fruit and chocolate in their beverages. The blend was just right - just the right amount of fruity flavour and the richness of chocolate. But this is for those who like to experiment with their food. Purists may not enjoy this unusual concoction. But, I like!

RATING: 3.5/5

While their quality is fabulous, stuff at San Churro is quite expensive and it is more a place for occasional indulgences than your everyday cuppa joy. Go.

Hot dark chocolate at Le Cafe, Chembur

Finally! A decent cup of hot chocolate.

After my disastrous run at Costa Coffee (where both the hot chocolate and the Beglian Chocolate Frappe suck) and at The Chocolate Room, where the hot chilli-infused chocolate is just so, I was beginning to lose hope. Can no one make a decent cup of hot chocolate, I asked of God. And the answer lay right in my neighbourhood! Since the hotel Jewel of Chembur opened, all their F&B spaces have been talked nd written about. I frequent their pub, Astrix, but I'd never tried their restaurant, Moksha or cafe, Le Cafe... until today.

The pretty cafe overlooks the busy station road and has a lovely ambiance. I settled in with a friend at a cozy corner table and without thinking twice, ordered the hot 'dark' chocolate. I had to put this 'famous' cafe to the chocolate beverage test, given my bad experience with them so far. A cup of steaming hot chocolate was presented to me in some time with a 'Facebook F' dusted on it. Why it was written in the reverse is anyone's guess.

I didn't care really, as long as the hot chocolate was good. I took my first sip and baby, I was in love! The beverage went down my throat smoothly, its dark and sweet flavours warming my heart more than anything. I sipped on gleefully while my friend tried to suppress his amusement at my orgasmic expressions. But I couldn't care less. I HAD FINALLY FOUND A GOOD CUPPA HOT CHOCOLATE!

Past the froth, the hot chocolate looked deliciously dark and I should have remembered to ask the cafe what drinking chocolate they use. I'm fairly sure it was drinking chocolate and not a melted chocolate-milk infusion. It still was very rich and delish. However, I have to admit, it started tasting extremely sweet halfway through the cup. Not that it stopped me from downing it wholly! This monsoon, you must have this lovely hot dark chocolate from Le Cafe, if you're in Chembur and need some heart warming.

RATING: 4/5

 

The Chocolate Room, Ghatkopar, Mumbai

While I believe that Indians don't care much about chocolate, the mushrooming chocolate cafes in the country seem to suggest otherwise. One example is the wildly popular chocolate cafe chain, The Chocolate Room, which is originally Australian, and just seven years old! Thanks to its franchise model, the cafes are now found all over the world, notably India. India has over 50 such cafes in India, with around eight in Mumbai itself. The master franchisee for India is Ahmedabad-based Vikas Punjabi, and the Mumbai, Ghatkopar cafe is owned by Kapil Aggarwal. Interestingly though, it was The Chocolate Room, Ghatkopar's social media handler, Sundeep Dawale, who invited me for a review. Needless to say, I was thrilled!

I reached this cozy little cafe, located wonderfully on a busy circle in Ghatkopar, making it impossible to miss. It's a snug little arrangement with just three tables, and gets pretty crowded in the evenings when people walk in for their desserts post dinner, but I don't think anyone's complaining because their stuff is so fantastic. 

Upon entering, the product counter seduces you in upfront with sinful-looking chocolate cakes and pastries lined up, while a product-display shelf called 'The Chocolate Shop' entices you with other offerings to your left. Odds and ends like chocolate gift boxes, warming mugs, fondue pots, cuddle cups and chocolate bouquets are there for customers to buy.

I also noticed this quaint little chocolate Taj Mahal on the counter, which is apparently a popular gift of choice for young people (in love). The half kg 'monument' costs something like INR 600 and I thought it was very cute!

I was greeted by Sundeep, who told me how he became part of The Chocolate Room story. He was a regular customer at the cafe, and eventually his passion for chocolate and acquaintance with Kapil got him involved with the cafe's social media activities. It was with his guidance that I began the difficult task of choosing from their vast and reasonably-priced menu. As you can see here, they have a huge selection of hot chocolates, teas, pastries, shakes, frappes, waffles, sundaes and coffees.

I, of course, went into my 'Charlie in the Chocolate Factory' mode and wanted to order everything. I think I covered a big base because I sampled a Choco-rum shot, a Chilli-infused Hot Chocolate, a Lindt Dark Chocolate Shake, an M&M's Milk Chocolate Shake, a Chocolate Avalanche, a Hazelnut Praline and Chocolate Tarts. And for those wondering, this shameless list had less to do with my gluttony and more with Kapil Aggarwal's generous hospitality. Here is what I thought of all I sampled:

The Choco-Rum Shot:Very sweet and very intense, the Choco-Rum shot is a drink of molten dark chocolate spiked with a rum flavour. Served in shot glasses, this is a drink for those who can handle strong flavours. I wish the rum were real, though. :)

Chilli-infused Hot Chocolate: Because hot chocolate has disappointed me in most places, I was keen to see how The Chocolate Room fares with it. I picked the chilli-infused hot chocolate to see if they could balance this tricky spice while keeping the taste of chocolate intact. The drink arrived in a cuddle cup and pretty much won me over after I took the first sip. While the chocolate was not very rich, the amount of chilli was just right. I can imagine how wonderful this warming beverage be on a winter evening.

Lindt Dark Chocolate Shake: Shakes at The Chocolate Room are pretty popular, and I therefore tried not one but two of them. I ordered a Lindt Dark Chocolate Shake first, which arrived in a tall glass, garnished with a piece of a Lindt bar. The shake was thick with whipped cream, milk, chocolate sauce and crushed Lindt chocolate. While the taste was great, I did not enjoy the graininess that came from the crushed chocolate and overall, the texture was a little too overwhelming for me.

M&M Chocolate Shake: Because one must also do justice to milk chocolate, we ordered the M&M's Chocolate Shake. Similarly blended as the Lindt Shake, this has milk, cream, chocolate sauce, crushed M&Ms, topped with whipped cream and M&Ms. This one was much sweeter, and seemed somewhat smoother than the Lindt shake. A fan of dark chocolate as I am, I found this the better of the two.    

Chocolate Avalanche:As the name explains, the Chocolate Avalance is a decadent dessert and one of the  most popular things on their menu. With chocolate mousse pudding, chocolate-walnut brownie, Dutch Truffle pastry, chocolate sauce, chocolate chips, chocolate shavings and chocolate sticks going in it, it is a chocolate lover's dream come true. Extremely rich, this dessert is best had on special occasions and with special people. I give it a 4.5/5 rating.

Hazelnut Praline: I was nearly dead from chocolate overdose by the time I sampled the aforementioned things, but Kapil insisted I try the Hazelnut Praline. I gave in to their only chocolate-cream based dessert and lost myself in the rich hazelnut textures and flavours. While I found it a wee bit hard, the taste more then made up for it.

Chocolate tarts: I must have died and gone to chocolate heaven by then, when Kapil suggested I try the tarts too. I said I would collapse if I ate anymore chocolate, so he said he'd pack some for me to take home.  I did and tried them this morning with a palate that had had ten hours of rest. And I was blown away all over again by The Chocolate Room experience.

Kapil Aggarwal and Sundeep Dawale

The only way to sum it all up is GO TO THE CHOCOLATE ROOM, GHATKOPAR NOW!

PS: I was given a bar of chocolate and a box of truffles and pralines too, but those will be reviewed in another post very soon.

Chocolate things at Costa Coffee

Scoff all you want at my teenager-like preference, but the Costa Coffee outlet in Chembur, Mumbai is one of my favourite hangouts. What else is one supposed to do with teetotaler friends, aye? Drink coffee at a cafe, and if you're stupid like yours truly, you go ahead and order chocolate beverage. And if you're doubly stupid, you coerce your friend to order some more chocolate beverage.

So we waited expectantly for our Hot Chocolate, Double Chocolate Cooler, and Choconut Cookies to arrive hoping to die a chocolate overdose death by the end of the hour. Our pretty-looking drinks arrived in Costa's typically-pretty glassware but the contents were disappointing. The hot chocolate was insipid, and I could very well be drinking watered-down Bournvita. We hoped the Double Chocolate Cooler would fare better, but there didn't seem to be even a single portion of chocolate in there. At INR 110 for a small cup of Hot Chocolate and INR 160 for the Double Chocolate Cooler, the disappointment seemed magnified. If Costa is trying to do subtle here, I'm not sure it's such a good idea.

My last hope were the Choconut Cookies. At INR 80 for a pair, the cookies had better be good. Thankfully, they were. While I'm no fan of soft-baked cookies, these tasted quite decent with the dark chocolate and a generous amount of nuts - cashews and almonds. But these are not something I'm buying again.

Overall, the chocolate things at Costa Coffee were a disappointment, and you'd do best to stick to what Costa is known for - their coffee.

RATING: 2.5/5

Gianduja Hot Chocolate for ESPA

What I don't get is, why would anyone want to light a candle while drinking hot chocolate? But a strange brand partnership has resulted in William Curley's crafting this special Gianduja Hot Chocolate for ESPA. For the uninitiated, ESPA is one of the world's leading spa products and treatments companies. And William Curley happens to be a celebrated Brit chocolatier, who has been awarded the top honours for five successive years. The ‘Hot Chocolate’ Gift Set contains William Curley Gianduja Hot Chocolate and a ESPA Restorative 200g Candle, which will apparently let you 'seek refuge from the winter chills'. (I really want to offer a frozen Delhiite a candle right now to fight the cold and see their faces).

Jokes apart, the dark chocolate is rich, dark, velvety and utterly, deliciously indulgent. Infused with Piedmont hazelnut and blended with Toscano dark chocolate, the drink releases a velvety concentration of flavours. Burning the candle, of course, depends on whether your partner is the corny type. ;)

Price: Approx. INR 3500

RECIPE for Gianduja Hot Chocolate


Ingredients:

500ml milk
100gms hot chocolate flakes
Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
Pinch of chili (optional)

Method:

1.    Boil together the milk, cinnamon and chilli
2.    Place the chocolate flakes in the mixing bowl
3.    Add the 1/3 of the milk. Beat until very smooth
4.    Add the remaining milk, mix well and serve.